SO yesterday my condo association pool has a dog swim before closing the pool down for the fall/winter/spring. I took Fergus because I a) want him to get over his random fear of water and b) wanted to see if he could swim since he goes out with us on my parent's boat. As expected her really didn't want much to do with the water at first. I picked him and carried him into the water and slowly set him into it. He began to swim, although very awkwardly (no big surprise). He would be line for the closest edge in an attempt to get out. As time went on other dogs/owners began to show up including some of Fergus' play buddies. This is where it got interesting. The other dogs would jump into the water and to chase after toys being thrown in and you could tell Fergus really wanted to go but his fear held him back. Does anyone have any methods for helping to remove irrational fears? I tried multiple times to put him in the pool and every time his swimming got better and looked more natural. He actually moved through the water really well and quickly but always just wanted to get right out. Does anyone else have a swimming pitty?

I find that lifejackets help dogs that aren't too sure of the water...my gang all wear them if we're going swimming "officially" (if we stop for quick swim while hiking, they don't wear them). Granted...all of the pit bulls at my house have always found the water to be something to be deathly afraid of (they're made of sugar and will melt!). Puzzle (whippet/pit) will put her feet in the water...but won't swim...terrified!

The lifejackets are like water wings for kids...helps with the flotation, so they don't worry quite so much!

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

Connor was afraid at first, but I spent an entire morning at the lake throwing his ball in the water, and tossing it a little bit farther every time. Eventually, he just tried to swim and the rest is history. Now he gets in trouble for taking off and going down to the water when we are up at the lake... he just can't resist!

Michelle

Inside me is a thin woman trying to get out. I usually shut the bitch up with a martini.

Toby used to be terrified of water because of a bad experience with an in ground pool. It wasn't until I was at the lake once (that we'd been too many times with no swimming) with a friend who was throwing a ball for her dog in the water. Once Toby's competitive spirit took over, he was willing to swim out to try and steal his friend's ball. He had a "panic" swim at first, haha, it was quite funny, but now he loves water and can swim decently well.

I mean, Connor could just bob down a river of course...we could ride on his back...and paddle.

Puzzle is slim too, but she's an idiot that can't swim. She fell into the water at the reservoir last weekend...it gently slopes into the water, and she still "fell" in and flailed to get to the shore (2 feet away).

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

Until this weekend, Nadia was deathly afraid of the water. Apparently all it took was a handsome yellow lab named Odie to 'show her the ropes' and she finally went in while we were visiting friends in Cape Cod. She still gets freaked out when she starts floating and actually having to paddle, but she is much more confident while in the water. Kia's been thrown in the pond a few times (the bf did it, not me!) and she just kinda paddles back to land looking annoyed that she got her ears wet.